Sheep grazing as sustainable vegetation management for solar energy production in the northeastern USA

Abstract/Summary:

"The expansion of solar photovoltaic production necessitates the need for vegetation management at solar sites. Solar grazing, an agrivoltaic (APV) approach involving vegetation management with livestock, is a rapidly growing solution to fill this need. Despite approximately 7–11% of existing installed solar capacity utilizing solar grazing in 2024, solar grazing research is still limited. The purpose of this study was to collect baseline data on how sheep grazing within commercial solar energy sites influences soil health, forage nutritive quality, and pasture conditions compared to mechanical mowing, along with understanding economic considerations for graziers, in the northeastern USA."